The company expects demand to increase 3% this year, while no new mines are scheduled to come online in the short-term and supply disruptions continue.
Disputes at BHP Billiton’s Escondida mine in Chile, the world's biggest copper mine, and Freeport’s Grasberg and Cerro Verde mines, are also having a significant effect on global supplies of concentrate.
The country expects mining investments to increase 360% in the next four years compared to the 2013-2016 period as it has already granted 160 of the 420 explorations licences it put out to tender in July.
